IndyBlog

Kittle is city's new cost-cutter

Current city employee Nick Kittle has been named as the city's "manager of innovation and sustainability."

Yes, believe it or not, that's a real title. Apparently, Kittle will be responsible for trying to save the city money by whatever means necessary. Kittle seems like a reasonable guy, but only time will tell whether he will prove an effective trimmer or a budget-ax-wielding maniac. Haha.

One near certainty: Under the guidance of business-friendly Mayor Steve Bach, Kittle will likely look for ways to privatize parts of city government to create efficiencies.

Kittle to serve as manager of innovation and sustainability

Current City of Colorado Springs employee Nick Kittle was recently named the City’s Innovation and Sustainability Manager. He will report to Chief of Staff Steve Cox. Kittle previously served as the City’s Public Works Team Leader. Kittle will lead citywide grants coordination, sustainability efforts, and City Contracting functions. He will also be responsible for implementing a comprehensive innovation effort for the entire organization. This will include an analysis of different service models to maximize performance in the most cost-effective ways. He will also review practices and policies to improve business processes, increase efficiency, consolidate redundant services, and realize the maximum potential of new technologies.“I am excited about this opportunity and the team I get to work with,” said Kittle. “The Mayor, our citizens and our employees recognize that optimizing our resources is the key to providing effective service delivery to the citizens. Examining the true cost of doing business and striking the right balance between contracted and in-house service is key to maintaining the organization’s fiscal health as we go forward. We want to ensure that services are being provided in the most effective way possible, and I am looking forward to taking on this challenge.”Kittle added, “As we work to deliver services with constrained resources, innovation has been a key driver for the City organization and will continue to be going forward. The Office of Sustainability and our Procurement team have consistently used innovation as a driver to ensure our City’s environmental and financial sustainability. To be sustainable, innovations must support our citizens, our beautiful environment and the financial health of the City.” Kittle has worked for the City since 2004. He has a Bachelors of Science in Industrial Management from Purdue University and a MBA from the University of Colorado. Prior to joining the City, Kittle worked in the private sector with British Petroleum, PricewaterhouseCoopers, El Paso Natural Gas and co-founded and invented EasySubmittals in 2003, which was the nation’s first electronic construction submittal approval process. He has earned several awards for innovation, including the 2001 Innovative Leadership Award, and was named the 2005 Internal Support Services Employee of the Year.